I'm so happy!!!! for caro and alyssa too!! They are/were considered the most inconsistent skaters existing, never been able to deliver and after all those insucces they should retire but now they are proving they're changing! I know it's just a small step but it's a good one!

Watching the GPF it's obvious that when the other ladies skate to their potential Rachael just looks overmatched. Even a good skate from her and she probably finishes dead last. If only Mirai hadn't screwed up at the COC it would have been her instead of Rachael perhaps.

I think anybody that thinks Mao will make the World Team is drinking kool-aid. It's obvious she's working on technique issues, and is a non-factor, for at least one year, more like two. In the long run I hope it pays off.

Jammers, what a crybaby, Mirai had plenty of opportunities to make the GPF, but she didn't. Jeeze, what's not to understand? You do your job, quit messing around, and skate clean, and if you're lucky you make the GPF.

None of the USA ladies are Michelle, or Sasha, or Sarah. It's great that Alissa won SC & the GPF, but no way will she win the big ones ~ Worlds & Olympics ~ with the arsenal she has now, not even one 3/3 combo. :( And she's not the only one, same goes for Mirai. Yes she came in 4th at Olympics, but still that's no cigar, nor is 7th place at Worlds.

The American ladies need to work on upping their technical arsenal if they want to WIN Worlds, not just place. They don't hold a chance next to Yuna Kim & her big huge 3/3 combo., nor Kiira & her 3/3 combo., and all the rest that do 3/3s.

They need for those above them to make a mistake in order to win or even place, though I'm hoping for the latter.

PCS alone won't make one a World or Olympic Champion, you have to have it ALL, including TES.

Still, it's good to see an American lady finally win something relatively big, just like Jeremy Abbott was the first American man to win the GPF a couple of years ago. Now his teammate does as well. But it was Evan Lysacek that won the big one!

Well, not all three Japanese ladies on the podium definitely helps Mao's case a bit. At this point, Kanako's and Miki's places are pretty secure. Akiko's less so. I think it'll be between Akiko and Mao.

Only one that I question is Akiko, that 3t looked perfectly fine to the naked eye. I also thought Flatt's 3t and 3s looked fine too but just had a wide swinging free leg... going to have to re-watch the replays to see.

Mao usually brings it when it counts. Remember last year's Nationals. Plus, she had better consistency at TEB in practices, so she is getting there. After last season, I said I would never count her out. So i fully believe she is capable of not only making the team, but to take a medal at worlds.

I think anybody that thinks Mao will make the World Team is drinking kool-aid. It's obvious she's working on technique issues, and is a non-factor, for at least one year, more like two. In the long run I hope it pays off.

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I dunno, I think Mao will either win Natls and if not she will be named to the Japanese Natl team.

We saw the same thing from her last pre-season and after a terrible skate at COR she came back and won Natls.

No, mark my words, she will not make the World Team. And I'll gladly come back here in a few weeks time to bring this post back to the top.

Seriously, this season in no way/shape/or form compares to last season. My gosh, the two don't even compare. She's not the same skater, yeah she did bad at the beginning, but still hung on to her other jumps, but now ALL of her jumps are off.

Anyhow, we shall see, I just don't see it, but will be glad to be proven wrong. Changing technique doesn't happen in one season alone imho.

I'm just glad that it ended on a high note, after starting out so bad with my fav Rachael bombing , but then Miki rose to the occasion, next Carolina!, and finally Alissa! So it all turned out good in the end imho.